History:

The Black Light Theatre Srnec toured China for the first time from August 3rd to 27th, 2012. Their classic Antologia, which includes nine programs, was staged 14 times for audiences in Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou, Shaoxing, Yueyang and cities in Henan province. The performances were warmly welcomed by both children and adults. Many medias including China Central Television closely followed the tour and published a series of relevant reports.

Black Light Theatre Srnec - the 1st Black Light Theatre in the World

Since the very beginning, this Czech theatre ensemble has been best known as the representative of the Czech Theatre School worldwide.

More than 5 million spectators in 69 countries around the world have seen the performance of the Black Light Theatre by now. It participated in more than 65 international theatre festivals and performed more than 200 times a year on average.

When performing at the international theatre festival in Edinburgh (Scotland) in 1962, the review published in the Times mentioned that this ensemble "brought back magic to the world stages".

A principle, set by Jiří Srnec, the founder and art director of theatre, is based on the creative use of a simple trick, so called "black cabinet". A primitive form of this principle was known even in ancient China, and later on, it has been used by magicians. Partially it was used also in cinema (Mélies) and theatre (Stanislavský). In the Black theatre, it means that the black-dressed actors holding the requisites seem disappeared against black background. By this way the requisites, things and objects seem to move themselves.

However, this trick is not the main purpose of the plays performed by Jiří Srnec and his actors, but a way which can evoke scenic and mimic metaphor, realized by movements of graphic artifacts and actors accompanied by music.

Artistic Director：Jiří Srnec

Jiří Srnec, founder and artistic director, graduated from the high school of applied arts, the state music conservatory and finally the puppet and stage design department of the academy of arts in Prague. This constitutes his almost all-round abilities in preparing his unique performances, in which he participates as an author, director, music composer, art designer and in precious years as an actor. Under his direction and leadership the company gained its world fame. Jiří Srnec is a winner of several prestigious international awards obtained both from the audience and critics. He is the author of 20 original Black Light Theatre performances; he participated as an author of some others like the performance of laterna magica wonderful circus, which under his direction achieved remarkable 5,500 reruns. Jiří Srnec was awarded the highest state decoration Credit of State in the Field of Culture and Arts Medal by President of Czech Republic in 2011.

THE FLYING BICYCLE

The story of The Flying Bicycle is set at the turn of the century and is of a young inventor so enthralled by the wings of birds that he is obsessed by the idea of a flying bicycle. After many attempts and failures he finally discovers that only love can defy gravity.